Replacing the Internal Battery in an X76 Garmin

Same here..
I found this: http://gpsinformation.biz/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4701
..i think I'm getting ready for the... operation..

Ok first remove the screws from the box shell
and the ring of the antenna base connector










carefully lift the aluminium paper behind the LCD screen (dont worry it has only soft glue)





remove PCB screws







at the back of the PCB you can see the battery












It's a VARTA MC621




Replace and voyla... no more acquiring satellites delay

...and that's how it's done. people ask a question, and the Internet serves up a couple casual responses and one ridiculously well documented response.

Thanks much. I'll do this and get back pronto.

--Ranjan

That’s what probably happened to mine, same symptoms, cost me just over £100 when I sent in to Garmin for service

It probably means they’re all destined to fail some time after 3 years, as mine did :huh


According to the Varta life expectancy of Varta MC621
10%DOD - 1000 cycles
100%DOD - >200 cycles
Deep Discharge - >100 cycles

DOD = Depth of Discharge

totaly agree..!! For something so simple, Garmin keeps us in the dark...
...wondering why... $$$

one of the ways to get by the phone wait is to use the marine service this works with 276's and 176's since they are really marine chart plotters.

You sir, are a prince. The hardest part of this endeavor will now be finding that battery online.

THANK YOU, very much.

Nils</snip-o>

You are the man. My 276c is way too new to do this, but I'm stashing this information away for the inevitable.

OK, this battery is actually discontinued by the manufacturer, although I was finally able to track it down online. So it's written down somewhere, this is what I learned:

It's a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery
it's 3.0 volts
it's 3.0 mAH (milliamps)
It measures 6.8 mm in diameter
It measures 2.15 mm in height.

This online battery retailer (Apex Batteries) had it, but it was obfuscated with a really long part number including some superfluous information.

http://www.apexbattery.com/mc62160621-101-511--rechargable-lithium-battery-lithium-batteries.html

They have it listed as
MC62160621-101-511 - Rechargable Lithium Battery

I bought 2

Nils

..no worries man, just put ANY 3.0 volt battery that fits (a little larger will also do the job) thus more milliamps more battery life..

A friend of mine already put a larger sanyo battery and his GPS is working fine..


also remember to "scratch" both the battery poles before using the soldering gun..

cheers..
Jim

Of course, one additional question: is there an o-ring or something that needs to be replaced when you replace this battery? I know when you unseal watches sometimes the ring needs to be replaced, or else the thing's no longer watertight...is this a problem or will it stay watertight even after it's been opened and put back together again with the original ring?

--Ranjan

no problem for me..
the "o-ring" is a heavy duty rubber seal
Just remember to carefully wipe it before closing the unit
with a soft slightly wet cloth..

i've wash the GPS a couple of times at home
and also did a big trip last September with
lots of km under heavy rain ...no problem at all

This is so good, it deserves its own thread.

Dave

OK, I tore into it, as my GPS is about 4 years old, and although a reset did speed it up, it seemed like a matter of time before the battery croaked, and it didn't seem too fiddly.

Disassembly went fine, but when I got to the battery itself, it looked like it had been spot welded with the world's smallest spot welder. If you look closely at the close up photo you will see a pair of teeny dots. That's what I found.

Forging ahead I wiggled an Xacto blade in there and gently freed the battery. But how to reinstall? I attempted to put a teeny dot of solder on the two contacts that sandwich the battery, but it would not stick to the battery, nor could I get it hot enough to stay molten and get the battery on it.

Along the way I fear I shorted the new battery with solder, and I don't want to chance putting that one in. I'm going to order another.

I took some crazy glue to one of the now un-trusted batteries and tried sticking it to some pot metal. Presto! it's stuck hard. But is that kosher? Is ther some magic PC glue that is conductive?

I can't imagine how the heck I'm going to fix this any other way than gluing it on. Suggestions, pointing and laughing, etc are welcome.

Nils

Perhaps a bit of emery cloth to roughen the surface of the battery would allow the solder to take hold?

Oh, almost forgot:

Look at post 10. The OP said "scratch" the battery. I bet he is saying rough it up so you can get the solder to adhere.

A little dot of an electronic safe flux would help as well.

Dave

Yeah, I tried that, it still wouldn't stick and another problem is soldering the underside. You can heat up the solder till molten, remove the iron and attempt to place the battery on it, but the battery is so cold it sets up the solder instantly before it can adhere. Solder isn't going to be the answer, at least not for me.

The Google coughed up this with a little coaxing:

http://www.wireglue.us/

In addition, I found some recipies for homemade conductive glue using contact cement and graphite, but seeing as I have neither laying around, I ordered the wire glue, and fresh unmolested batteries.

I will photograph and document what happens next when I get it, but for the moment, I wouldn't advise folks blazing ahead with this project without a plan in place for how to reinstall this thing.

Nils

You should be able to order the batteries with the weilded on tags .. than just solder the battery tags to the tags on the board... (not as cheap as teh plain jane battery .. and not avalible in teh drug store).
Conductive glue should ba avalible at radio shack, farnell, and other electronics suppliers .. it will not be cheap ..

You are right this problem might happen, my only advice to this (don't laugh ) is to try several brands of batteries with the same characteristics.

some of them are real pain in the ass when it comes to solder (try Sanyo batteries)

OK, it's done, and the glue worked perfectly. Success!

Here's a commented gallery on Smugmug detailing how I did it.

https://noblehops.smugmug.com/gallery/5658077_RE9aP#348168332

Edit: The Wire Glue folks do not sell direct. After one aborted attempt to purchase from a mom and pop, I got it from Edmunds Scientific: http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp?pn=3035852&bhcd2=1218308292

They shipped it the next day for a pretty reasonable cost.